This week, the majority of the worlds best trail runners, hikers, explorers and me descend on Chamonix to attempt the Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc. I've had a wrist band attached that can only be cut off that proudly says UTMB. It's red. Bright. and a little embarrassing. I'd rather not have something announcing to the world what I am attempting. I prefer the relative annonymity of blogging rather than people looking at me, obviously thinking 'he'll never finish'.
It started early in the week when I was in a trail running store buying loads of kit I didn't know I needed. When I arrived at the checkout the lady looked before we had a slightly awkward and short conversation:
"aaaah (in a French way) CCC!!".
"Um, no, UTMB"
"Oh"
Not exactly confidence inspiring I have to admit. I must still be bloated after the loing haul flight. Also not inspiring confidence is the sheer number of ultra fit looking types floating around town. With approximately 5000 runners taking part in four different events over the course of the week the town is alive with runners of all nationalities milling around the various outdoor stores as well as a small town of wooden huts that has been erected to host a kind of outdoor wear expo. The energy of the town is like nothing I've experienced before and I have to say I love it.
It's funny to observe the different styles of the he various nationalities in attendance. The top US ultra guys seem to have a very laid back style that they bring, a little more of a hippy, chilled vibe. I saw Geoff Roes, Dakota Jones and the i-run far guy, Bryon, milling around having a laugh yesterday, looking very relaxed. A bit of a checked shirt and shorts thing going on. Then you get the southern euro's, the Italians, Spanish and Southern French who are all in what can only be described as 'Salomon Chic'. Even when off duty they seem to stick to their tight bright and shiny Salomon running wear and garish colours. Quite a lot of strutting and preening going on here. I've even seen a few all in one tri suits on display for a wander around town. For a moment I thought it was fancy dress. The british contingent seem to fall somewhere between the Americans and the Southern Europeans. Casual clothes with a hint of Salomon. Just to let the casual observer know that although they are dressed in normal clothes, we're here to get stuck in. Enough Sex and the Chamonix.
As mentioned, yesterday it has all become a little more obvious as to what we're here for as we've been officially branded with wrist straps that cannot be removed. Mine's bright red and branded UTMB. My first thought was that it went well with my Salomon SLABS and red cap. My second thought was that it is really going to happen and ever since then I have had 'the fear', gnawing away at my stomach. This is really going to hurt! Can I even do this? Do I have enough pain killers? Will a local doctor give me opiates? Shall I just get drunk, eat cheese and miss the start? All the usual thoughts before doing something so fool hardy.
Before official registration yesterday Amy the Korean and I spent a buit of quality tourist time together. Best event of the week by far way the cable car trip up form Chamonix (1000m) up to L'Aiguille du Midi (3800m) and across to Italy (3400m). The trip acroos to Italy was in a tiny 4 seater car, with stunning panoramic views of the bloody massive drop onto the glacier that could occur at any moment should there be a stiff gust of wind. Not that I was scared of course, I just don't like the thought of imminent crushed-on-ice-in-a-tiny-cable-car death. The journey back across the glacier was particularly traumatic as we were with an italian couple who insisted on jerking from left to right, opening the windows to take pictures (just to really catch the gust of wind!) abnd generally causing the thing to rick back and forth. Of course as mentioned, I wasn't scared one lkittle bit of being 500 meteres above a glacier in an egg carton, it was great fun. My legs weren't shaking and I didn't wee a little bit. I'm too macho for that. I'd highly recommend it to all!
So yesterday tourism came to a close and the race started to become a reality. Registration was efficient and quick and at times felt a little like stepping into the Lord of the Rings. We had to put down a deposit for the race chip that is contained in the aformentioned red salomon matching wrist strap. I believe something must have been lost in translation, or it was another slip of tongue when observing my obvious lack of fitness, but the very French lady on the reception desk looked me up and down before asking:
"Do you av ze twenty euros of caution?"
"Bloody hell", I though. It sounded a little like I should have been on a quest beforehand, rather that withdrawing it from the BNP Paribas brand on the corner.
"Yes", I replied solemnly, hoping I looked grave and serious enough, "I have the twenty euros of caution". As I held it aloft triumphantly.
With tension building she replied "Merci", and showed me on my way. I was a bit let down. No crack of thuinder, flash of lightening. I just rejioned my friend Tom in the queue feeling a little like this challenge might be beyond me.
As well as my quest for the twenty euro's of caution I have faced other challenges this week. Trying to find food that wasn't shit in geneva, trying not to spend my monthly salary a day in geneva, trying to convince the girlfriend that there wasn't a remote chance of death during this race, trying not to cry on the cable car. However, the toughest test of willpower to date was definitely being in France and not gorging myself on cheese and red wine. It's been a real struggle. I started off strong, but as is always the case as the week went on I felt more and more tested, I started to lose my focus, my body became weaker and weaker, even moving forward was a struggle... ok I'm exaggerating a little, but there are cheese shops everywhere, with their wonderful stinky aroma's clogging up the warm air. If/ when I finish this thing my first words will likely be 'Red wine and cheese', I may throw a merci in there, but cannot make any promises. As noted in past blogs, I'm not exactly a profound individual.
One day to go. I've never been so scared (discounting the cable car).
Thursday, August 25, 2011
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
For the love of speedos
I've ramped the long runs up in distance over the last month and a half to make sure I'm spending 6-8 hours on my feet and I can feel myself getting stronger. With UTMB only 11 days off I am starting to get pretty excited (see 'Scared' in the Oxford Dictionary, alternatively 'terrified') about the whole idea. One hundred and sixty sixty kilometers. One hundred and sixty six kilometers. One hundred and sixty six kilometers. Yep, doesn't matter how many times I say it, whether I whisper or shout. It still sounds like a bloody long way. As I've said repeatedly before, the furthest I've travelled in one go was 100k. So I'll need to travel two thirds of that again. It's terrifying actually. Bloody terrifiying. I have a confession to make about my long runs. I have not been finishing these runs in good shape. Admittedly Hong Kong is bloody hot with high humidity and this does make a difference to what you can manage, but 6 hours on my feet feels easily enough. I loose so much fluid that it takes me until Wednesday to recover. A few weeks back I drank 6 litres following the run and still didn't pee that day. It really cannot be healthy. So I'm thinking more and more that I have massively overstretched myself. Not good with only 11 days of rigorous taper to go.
So I am scared. But not as scared as I was when I passed a guy in speedo's hiking the dragons back (that isn't slang of any kind). Now you do see some sights in Hong Kong out on the trails. But the guy in Montrails, white socks and speedos, nothing else, was a step above the norm and had me reeling in shock and awe. But true humiliation came when he overtook me. In my defence I completely blew up, 44k into a 58k long run/ hike (My longest effort in preparation for UTMB). I tend to get beaten by most people when racing trails, but I think being overtaken by a guy only wearing speedos was a new low. I'm not sure it will ever be beaten. It was such an assault on the senses I think it contributed towards a minor breakdown. Even more surprising was that speedo guy was accompanied by his wife. More surprising still was that he had a wife! Clearly she is not regulating his behaviour, and didn't seem embarrassed in the slightest by his wares. Despite dressing in a normal manner herself.
It's not just been speedo based challenges of late either. I've been spending my long runs out in the new territories along the Macclehose trail. Famous for the Hong Kong Trailwalker race each November, the macclehose has some great hills to train on. Traditionally Stage 6 has a big tribe? school? group? party? troupe (?) of monkeys.Actually a group of monkeys is referred to as a mission or a tribe. And there are a lot of the little buggers in Hong Kong. Long and short tail macaques apparently. All I know is that the big males do not appreciate my trail style and seem to take great offence at my presence. They were more upset than 'the Feet' when he first saw my running style. Perhaps I got them wrong and actually they were just concerned that my left hand was still rigid and my right foot was slapping down, They were most likely just taking the piss monkey style. Actually it was quite scary and I had planet of the apes style visions running through my mind of being pulled apart limb from limb. But after a little backing down on my part they let me pass. Well... I say backing down, but actually Black Diamond Z Poles have more than one use. I would imagine the lead monkey is still having trouble sitting without a rubber ring. Although if the park authority were to question me it would be full denial.
So, this final week before the girlfriend and I depart for Europe has seen the usual frenzy of gear buying that I always find so comforting before a major race. A couple of weeks before the start I always develop a genuine belief that somehow buying the latest gadgets makes up for me being a crap runner of limited athletic ability. Somehow the latest compression gear will make up for being 10kg's over weight. The lightest waterproofs will stop me from feeling the ill effects of the big mac I just ate. The fact I now have 2 pairs of Salomon S Lab 4's will somehow mean I won't develop blisters over the course of 100 miles. It's all nonsense. I know that. But somehow I feel better. it's the racing equivalence of comfort food. That somehow if I can't be 15kgs lighter, being 500 US dollars lighter makes up for it.
So it's the story of my racing life repeating itself. Moderate to shite training. All the gear. Very little in the way of idea. The good thing is you'll be able to follow the race through live updates on facebook and twitter. I think they only go in to time and race position. So it should be pretty easy to follow. 'Slow and last' should just about do it. But hopefully I'll get to the finish because I am running for Charideeeee.
On a more serious and emotive note, I am doing this race for charity. You can find the link below. My dad died of cancer in 2010, almost a year to the day when I start UTMB (4 days later i.e. sometime around when search and rescue finds me in the alps blowing on my little whistle). And I would like to make an impact on the cancer ward where he was treated before his death. The charidee e-mail goes out to friends , family and coworkers tomorrow but if anyone would like to contribute or indeed hear a bit more:
http://www.justgiving.com/tom-anderson-dad-/
I'll never get over the loss, but hopefully in my own way, I will make a small difference and through doing something that I love (at least for the first 60k) will remember him in a way that feels fitting. I'll also be doing that with a bottle of wine after the event, but more of that later. For now the training is finished.
Race report to follow.
So I am scared. But not as scared as I was when I passed a guy in speedo's hiking the dragons back (that isn't slang of any kind). Now you do see some sights in Hong Kong out on the trails. But the guy in Montrails, white socks and speedos, nothing else, was a step above the norm and had me reeling in shock and awe. But true humiliation came when he overtook me. In my defence I completely blew up, 44k into a 58k long run/ hike (My longest effort in preparation for UTMB). I tend to get beaten by most people when racing trails, but I think being overtaken by a guy only wearing speedos was a new low. I'm not sure it will ever be beaten. It was such an assault on the senses I think it contributed towards a minor breakdown. Even more surprising was that speedo guy was accompanied by his wife. More surprising still was that he had a wife! Clearly she is not regulating his behaviour, and didn't seem embarrassed in the slightest by his wares. Despite dressing in a normal manner herself.
It's not just been speedo based challenges of late either. I've been spending my long runs out in the new territories along the Macclehose trail. Famous for the Hong Kong Trailwalker race each November, the macclehose has some great hills to train on. Traditionally Stage 6 has a big tribe? school? group? party? troupe (?) of monkeys.Actually a group of monkeys is referred to as a mission or a tribe. And there are a lot of the little buggers in Hong Kong. Long and short tail macaques apparently. All I know is that the big males do not appreciate my trail style and seem to take great offence at my presence. They were more upset than 'the Feet' when he first saw my running style. Perhaps I got them wrong and actually they were just concerned that my left hand was still rigid and my right foot was slapping down, They were most likely just taking the piss monkey style. Actually it was quite scary and I had planet of the apes style visions running through my mind of being pulled apart limb from limb. But after a little backing down on my part they let me pass. Well... I say backing down, but actually Black Diamond Z Poles have more than one use. I would imagine the lead monkey is still having trouble sitting without a rubber ring. Although if the park authority were to question me it would be full denial.
So, this final week before the girlfriend and I depart for Europe has seen the usual frenzy of gear buying that I always find so comforting before a major race. A couple of weeks before the start I always develop a genuine belief that somehow buying the latest gadgets makes up for me being a crap runner of limited athletic ability. Somehow the latest compression gear will make up for being 10kg's over weight. The lightest waterproofs will stop me from feeling the ill effects of the big mac I just ate. The fact I now have 2 pairs of Salomon S Lab 4's will somehow mean I won't develop blisters over the course of 100 miles. It's all nonsense. I know that. But somehow I feel better. it's the racing equivalence of comfort food. That somehow if I can't be 15kgs lighter, being 500 US dollars lighter makes up for it.
So it's the story of my racing life repeating itself. Moderate to shite training. All the gear. Very little in the way of idea. The good thing is you'll be able to follow the race through live updates on facebook and twitter. I think they only go in to time and race position. So it should be pretty easy to follow. 'Slow and last' should just about do it. But hopefully I'll get to the finish because I am running for Charideeeee.
On a more serious and emotive note, I am doing this race for charity. You can find the link below. My dad died of cancer in 2010, almost a year to the day when I start UTMB (4 days later i.e. sometime around when search and rescue finds me in the alps blowing on my little whistle). And I would like to make an impact on the cancer ward where he was treated before his death. The charidee e-mail goes out to friends , family and coworkers tomorrow but if anyone would like to contribute or indeed hear a bit more:
http://www.justgiving.com/tom-anderson-dad-/
I'll never get over the loss, but hopefully in my own way, I will make a small difference and through doing something that I love (at least for the first 60k) will remember him in a way that feels fitting. I'll also be doing that with a bottle of wine after the event, but more of that later. For now the training is finished.
Race report to follow.
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